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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22421194">Another Cog In The Murder Machine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ace_writez/pseuds/ace_writez'>ace_writez</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>My Chemical Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Sports, Basketball, Football, High School, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 17:08:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,914</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22421194</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ace_writez/pseuds/ace_writez</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mikey's life is set. He's going to get a basketball scholarship for university and then play in the big leagues. All he has to do is get team captain his last year of high school. But he runs into some competition when another good player also tries out. Suddenly he's not so sure he's going to make it.</p><p>Ray is also trying for a scholarship. As the star quarterback of Belleville High for three years, he's gunning for a fourth. When a situation at home suddenly drags him down, and a certain boy at school catches his eye, he finds himself at a crossroads. </p><p>Two boys. Two sports. One school, and one story.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ray Toro/Mikey Way</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Competition</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi hi hi welcome to the beginning of a new story. This was supposed to be the seccond week of my "post every second Friday plan" but it's Sunday. Oops. Either way, I planned this last year, which was my last year having to take high school gym. Planning fanfic really helps take you're mind off of how tired you are lol. Hope you enjoy!!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Beep beep. Beep beep.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Mikey groaned and rolled over, hand hitting the snooze button on his alarm clock. Today was Monday, the start of a new week, and he intended on getting every last second of sleep. He needed it. Why? Basketball season has struck again, and this year, star player  Mikey Way is trying for team captain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The light filtering in through Mikey's window reached halfway across his messy room, keeping the bed shrouded in semi-darkness. Which made it easier for the half-asleep teenager to slip back into unconsciousness…</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Beep beep. Beep beep</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>"Again!" Mikey exclaimed, slapping his alarm clock and making sure to hit the off button this time. Gathering his willpower, Mikey rolled out of bed and let his feet hit the floor. They knocked into a basketball, which rolled over an open textbook on the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span><em>God, I'm so cliché</em>, he thought, slipping on his glasses and stumbling downstairs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Through the zombie haze that Monday mornings always bring, Mikey fixed himself some breakfast. He was biting into his toast when a hand ruffled his hair with enough force to make his nose knock into the peanut butter he'd spread on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How's our favourite Troy Bolton doing this morning, hey?" Gerard asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mhmm," Mikey responded intelligently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gerard was Mikey's college-age older brother. They were really close, ever since they were children. Gerard was never into 'all the sports stuff' (his words) and loved to tease Mikey about it. In reality, it should be Mikey who teased Gerard, an antisocial, greasy art kid who, as soon as he didn't have to live in his University Residence, moved right back to his parent's basement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gee made a beeline for the coffee maker and poured himself a cup before asking, "What's the plan today lil' bro? You training or should I pick you up right after school?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mikey took a moment to process. "Shouldn't you be in class at that time?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm avoiding Art History today because I don't want to see Jessica. It's not my fault her boyfriend would rather make out with me than her, but she doesn't realize that," Gee said, genuinely miffed. Sometimes Mikey couldn't believe they were related.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm gonna stay 'till 6 today"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why so much practice? Tryouts aren't for another two weeks."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have tests at the end of the week, so I'm doing more practice now so I can study later"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not sure that's how it works." Gerard furrowed his brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not. I'm procrastinating my studying." Mikey answered and dumped his plate in the sink before walking back upstairs. Mikey knows full well that he's not going to study, and full well he will get a passing grade without trying. His college tuition is already set to come from a scholarship, anyways. But Mikey just needed to spend some time on the court by himself to breathe. Being a highschool senior is stressful as fuck sometimes, even only two weeks into the year.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>oOo</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ray Toro's day started with his mom waking him up thirty minutes until his bus. He rushed through getting ready (not like teen guys spend so much time on their appearance anyway) and left with his backpack on one shoulder and gym bag on the other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did you remember your lunch?" Ms. Toro asked</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I brought money, mom." He stood on the step, glancing at the bus stop every few seconds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Remember to drink lots of water at practice. You don't want to get sunstroke."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, yeah," Ray brushed her off. The school bus turned the corner onto their street, and Ray started running across the lawn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't listen to your headphones on the bus!" Ray's mom called after him, but he didn't answer</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just making the bus, Ray sat down and put his headphones on almost immediately. Three cheers for teenage rebellion. It's not like he was going to <em>talk</em> to anybody.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bus trundled along Cherry Street, before turning down Preston. It stopped at the end, and a few people from Ray's school got on. One of them Ray recognized with a grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Popularity was not a big issue at Belleville High, but there were a few students who were somewhat celebrities. The cheerleading team and members of various sports teams of course, because that cliché wasn't founded on nothing. The Student Council President; the kids from the strings quartet who did hilarious performances every assembly, and the announcement kids. At Belleville High the announcements were made (hilariously) on a screen in every classroom, so every kid knew the announcement crew's faces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One of them was making his way down the centre of the bus and took a seat next to Ray. Then, in true Gen Z fashion, pulled out his phone and didn't say a word. Ray eyed him. He wore a baggy band t-shirt and had dyed black hair that swept across his forehead and curled beside his eye. He had a nose ring. Ray knew his name was Frank. Ray could always remember it because who names their kid Frank in the 21st century?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of sitting awkwardly or spying on the game of Subway Surfers Frank was playing on his phone (he was actually pretty good), he grabbed his own phone and opened Snapchat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a cherished (albeit cheesy) tradition in most sports teams at Belleville High to keep streaks with the rest of the team from the start of the season to the end. There was some joking punishment every time someone messed up. Ray still had nightmares about broccoli from freshman year. Once he was about halfway through, Frank startled him by speaking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, you're Ray Toro, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah…" Ray said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you know when the football practice is? I lost my announcement sheet and can't remember," Frank said sheepishly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ray let out an abrupt laugh. "Wow. Glad to know our school announcements are run so professionally."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Shhhh! Professionalism is a façade that gets me through high school. So, do you know?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, a bit after school ends. 4:00, I believe," Ray guessed. "I rely on the announcements, dude"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, looks like we're fucked," Frank shrugged. "The good thing is whatever we say on the announcements are automatically true. So if I say it's at 4 o'clock, it's at 4 o'clock."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry, Coach Griffin," Ray said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Belleville High!" The bus driver called back, interrupting. The two boys got up and walked off the bus, the conversation over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Belleville high was the biggest high school in the area. It contained  4 stories, 9000 students, and a football field. The school bus stopped in the parking lot in front of the main doors. Students gathered there in groups, some heading into the school, hauling backpacks and book bags.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ray watched Frank walk over to his friends. One of them, a tall, skinny boy with glasses, Ray felt he recognized, but his friends called him over and he didn't dwell on it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>oOo</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mikey had barely slipped into his desk in homeroom when the TV screen in the corner of the class switched on. The cheesy intro music played, and the principal came on screen to start the day. Mikey was late because Frank forced him to walk him to the announcements room. There was bribery involved. Frank was too much of a little shit for his own good sometimes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once the pledge was over, everyone sat back down and the announcement crew came on screen. It consisted of Frank and another kid, Pete Wentz. They looked exactly the same, as always. Black hair, fringe, piercings, and band tees. Frank often recounted stories of teacher's attempts to get them to wear something else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mikey zoned through most of the announcements, thinking of the English quiz he had the next day. He tuned back in when Pete went over the sports.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pete spoke with his usual sarcasm. "Those who are interested in playing golf can attend a meeting in room 224 today at lunch. There is a football practice at 4pm today on the field. If you are tall and want to play basketball, drop your forms off with Coach Griffin at the school gym by Friday."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mikey already knew all this, of course. The perks of being friends with Frank. He had his form signed and was ready to hand it in. Gerard had applauded as Mikey checked the box that said he would like to be considered for captain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Open your notebooks!" The teacher stood up once the TV had shut off. Mikey yanked his binder out of his bag and opened it to a blank page. Here goes another day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>oOo</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At lunch, Mikey made his way to the gym to hand in his form. Mikey had been on his school basketball team every year since grade 4. He'd played in a league since he was little. The coach knew him for it and often mentored him. So when he knocked on the door to the gym office permission form in hand, Coach Griffin gave him a big smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mikey, my boy! How are you?" The coach stood up and clapped him on the back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good, sir," he said, clutching the form to his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Coach noticed it. "You're here for basketball, of course. I hope you're trying for captain?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes. Is there anyone else trying for it?" Mikey grinned as he handed the permission form over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Only two so far,  and the younger Saporta boy," Coach Griffin said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mikey's eyes widened. Of course, <em>he</em> was trying out. "Okay. Thank you, sir."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No problem. I'll see you in Kinesiology fourth period," he replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"See you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mikey strode out of the office with a determined set to his shoulders and a knowledge that made him curl his fists. Gabe Saporta, a huge asshole and all-around terrible person, was trying out for basketball Team Captain. Looks like Mikey had some competition.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Meeting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At the end of the school day, Mikey was absolutely brain dead. The best remedy for that, of course, was a good hard workout. So right after school finished he headed directly to the weight room behind the stadium. </p><p>Mikey throws his stuff around the locker room before changing, and then shoves it all in a locker when he remembers the football team was practicing today. You never want to get your stuff in the way of a high school football team. Mikey knows from experience.</p><p>He got set up in the weight room, starting with jumping jacks and burpees to warm up, then the handheld weights and finally moving to the machines. He exercised for about an hour and a half. With the school team, they did endurance training, so Mikey did strength training by himself. At one point, he heard the football team make their noisy way onto the field.</p><p>When Mikey was done, he put everything away and headed to the basketball nets that had a view of the field. The football team were doing throwing and catching drills, running up and down the field. Mikey occasionally liked to shoot hoops while the team was practicing, to oogle them in secret. He is gay, after all.</p><p>Mikey dribbled the ball around, shooting from the point lines painted onto the pavement. At only 5'9", Mikey was vertically challenged compared to the rest of his teammates. He liked to get some extra practice in. Mikey didn't know the football team that well, he only had a vague idea of names from the sports banquet at the end of Junior year. There were the twins, the blond guy who looked like a Viking, the dude with neon green dreadlocks, and of course, the star quarterback. Ray Toro. Everyone knew about him. He was tall, muscular, had cool hair, and Mikey was kind of attracted to him.</p><p>When the football team left the field, Ray stayed back with the coach. Mikey stood close to the chain-link fence that separated the basketball courts from the stadium field. Ray seemed to be doing sprints. Mikey winced in sympathy. After a full practice, extra drills were <em> not </em> fun. </p><p>After 20 or so minutes more of dribbling and shooting baskets, Mikey decided to go inside. The changing rooms were empty, as he hoped they would be. Being inside a change room with an entire team of sweaty football players was not ideal. But now Mikey had the showers to himself, and the warm water was all his to soothe his muscles after practice. Mikey smiled to himself and grabbed his towel.</p><p>oOo</p><p>Ray was sweating after the extra sprints with coach Griffin. Ray knew it was necessary, though. Ray was going for a football scholarship, and he had to be at the top of his game for the rest of the season. When he walked into the changerooms, the rest of the team was gone already, but there was a message from Bob on his phone. </p><p>
  <em> meet up at mcdonald’s when u r done? </em>
</p><p>Ray chuckled. Of course the team ended up at McDonald’s. He texted back a quick <em> yes </em> and put his phone on the bench. </p><p>Just then, the shower that was running shut off. Ray hadn't noticed it. He thought he was the only one in the changeroom. One of the guys from the team must have been slow changing. "Hello?" He called.</p><p>He looked up at the door when a tall, lanky dude wearing nothing but a towel around his waist entered the room. The dude was vaguely familiar, but not from the team. He stopped in his tracks when he spotted Ray.</p><p>"Um, hello?" The guy in the towel said, running a hand through his dripping bleach-blond hair nervously. The towel he was clutching tighter around his waist had obviously not done any good, as he was still wet all over. He was also very muscular. He was skinny as shit, but his arms and stomach were well defined. He was quite attractive actually.</p><p>Ray remembered the dude had said something, and that it was rude to stare. "Hi!" He said again, smiling.</p><p>The dude gave a tentative smile back, and shuffled over to a locker on the far side of the room. Ray tried to place where he knew him from. He stripped of his jersey when it came to him.</p><p>"You're Mikey Way, right? Frank's friend. From the basketball team," Ray asked. Mikey was the other Really Good Sports Dude™ in the school. He was also openly gay, and those were the two things Ray knew him for.</p><p>"Yeah, that's me. And you're Ray Toro, I know you," Mikey responded.</p><p>"Yeah," Ray said, very aware of the fact they were both half-naked. He wasn't this awkward around his team when they changed! He decided to just keep his head down and not make conversation.</p><p>After he spent too long finding his socks (they were under his shoulder pads), he decided he couldn't stand the silence. "Basketball season starts soon, doesn't it? Are you trying for team captain?"</p><p>Mikey looked surprised that Ray had said something. "Yes, definitely. I've waited four years for this."</p><p>"You also gotta get that scholarship, right?" Ray said.</p><p>Mikey nodded. "College is expensive as hell," he said solemnly.</p><p>"Ain't that the truth. If it means anything, I think you'll get it," Ray smiled, as he pulled his jeans up, "Team captain, I mean."</p><p>"Thanks, man. That Sapporta kid is also trying for it, so I'm less sure now."</p><p>"Shit dude. Is this High School Musical?"</p><p>Mikey giggled at his joke."I can sing if I need to. In fact, my brother's favourite nickname for me is Troy Bolton."</p><p>"Well, you're hotter than Zac Effron, at least," Ray said, and immediately regretted it. He just said he was hot! While they were both half-naked and alone in a changeroom! Ray did not swing that way, thank you very much. Or did he? Either way, Ray was not prepared to have a sexuality crisis in a changeroom with Mikey Way of all people. </p><p>He clumsily gathered his things. He left the changeroom making excuses to Mikey. "Um, just noticed the time, shit, I gotta get going, see ya, bye!"</p><p>Once outside, he paused and sighed. <em> That was the least smooth entrance I made. It was also kind of rude </em> , he thought. He shouldn't have freaked out because Mikey was gay. Maybe he should go back in and apologize. <em> No, Mikey probably doesn't even know what Ray did wrong. He'll just think Ray is an even bigger weirdo.</em></p><p>As he stood there considering, he heard something behind him. "Hey! Hey, Ray, wait up!" </p><p>Ray turned to see Mikey coming out of the doors to the changerooms, waving something in his hands. Mikey jogged closer and saw that it was his phone.</p><p>"You forgot this in the changeroom, man," he said, handing it to Ray. He was standing very close, and Ray could smell shampoo on his still-damp hair.</p><p>Ray flushed. "Oh, thanks. I'm always um, forgetting things."</p><p>"No problem."</p><p>There was a moment where they just looked at each other, neither knowing what to say. Suddenly a car honked and Mikey snapped out of it.</p><p>"Oh, my brother is here to pick me up. See you in English tomorrow," he said, walking backwards away from Ray.</p><p>"Yeah, see you..." Ray drifted off as Mikey climbed into the car.</p><p>Looking down at his phone, he saw another text from Bob and a call from King. Shaking the last 10 minutes from his brain, Ray headed towards McDonald's to meet his team.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter is 3 days late because I had another scene, but I had no idea how to write it. So I'm putting it next chapter in a different setting lol. I hope you liked this one!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>There we go. Sorry to Gabe Sapporta, I had to have someone be the bad guy. Hope you liked it!<br/>Next chapter will be up in two weeks, unless another one of the fics bouncing around in my head becomes more important.<br/>Unbetea'd, lmk if you find a mistake</p></blockquote></div></div>
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